2006 Raven Society
Candidate Position Questionnaire
1.
What is your occupation? (Please list primary and all secondary.)
Gary Farmer
Teacher, Blount County Schools
2. Please list all schools, colleges, and universities that you
have attended and all degrees you have earned.
3.
Why have you chosen to run for office?
I am seeking re-election, I feel that I
possess the ability to listen and properly represent the people of my district.
4. What makes you qualified to hold this office?
My background allows me to understand
financial documents and in doing so attempt to see that county taxpayers get
the most for their money.
5.
What do you see as the three most critical issues facing
(1) Education
(2) Infastructure
(3) Growth
6.
How do you propose to address each of these three issues?
(1) Understand that it is about the students
(2) Infastructure must be maintained and improved; it cannot be left at status quo.
(3) Intelligent planning. Proactive not reactive.
7.
Are you familiar with the Hunter Growth Strategy completed in 2005?
T Yes or c
No
How
would you incorporate the results into your own decision-making in your new or
renewed position?
I have been reading and reviewing the study
since we received it. The incorporation
of many of its ideas are already in the works. These will become more and more evident in
the near future. (Planning
Commission, codes enforcement, etc.)
8.
How would you assess the current pace of development in
T Too slow
c About right
c Too fast
9. Do you support the passage of an Adequate Facilities Tax or other Development or Impact Fee? T Yes c No
Why
or why not?
A fair impact
amount would be just that, Fair.
10. Are you familiar with the
Would
you support a measure to increase communication between our county
representatives to this body and our county legislative body? Why or why not?
Yes.
Any communication between the bodies is beneficial.
11.
Do you support the extension of the
Please
explain why you support or oppose the extension.
It would greatly ease the traffic flow on
321 through the city. This area is
dependent on tourism and it would definitely benefit this aspect of the area.
12.
Would you support or oppose the Proposed Interstate 140 By-Pass (Southern Loop)
around
Not enough information has yet been released
to decide an answer on this issue.
13.
What do you plan to do to prevent or encourage the completion of the
As stated above, not enough definite info
has been brought forward to determine this answer.
14.
How do you intend to address the development pressures these potential new
roads will bring, including impacts on Blount County's secondary roads,
schools, public services, air, and water quality?
This is a very, very broad question. Obviously schools and other infrastructure
must be considered and dealt with when considering development. I do not necessarily agree that roads bring
development pressure. The pressure to
develope is already here.
15. What do you see as the best way to protect the
rural, natural, and historic qualities of
Designation of Historic
Site Districts. The SMCV Bureau has been studying this for
approximately six months. Much of the
protection still lies in the hands of property owners.
16.
What is your vision for
Smart, planned growth at a
rate of approximately 1-1/2% per year. New industries must be brought
in, as the ones we currently have, will not always be there.
17.
What is your vision for
A great location to live
and raise a family. The gateway to the most beautiful sites in
the Great Smokey mountains, with great education, jobs
and infrastructure available to all.